The Ship

The destroyer escort class of ship came into existence as a less expensive ocean escort against the submarine threat. When opportunity provided, the destroyer escort could itself fulfill the mission of the destroyer by attacking surface ships with guns and torpedoes and serving as scout ships of the fleet. In 1975 all Destroyer Escorts then in commission were redesignated Frigates (FF) and the type name “DE” was discontinued by the US Navy.

The USS HOLT was a Rudderow class Destroyer Escort. These are the specifications for the Rudderow class:

  • Displacement: 1,450 tons standard (2,230 tons full load)
  • Length: 306′ (oa) x 36′ 10″ x 13′ 9″ (Max)
  • Speed: 24 knots
  • Crew: 12 Officers, between 192 and 200 Enlisted
  • Armament:
    • Primary
      • (2) 5 inch 38 caliber
    • Secondary
      • (2) twin 40mm mounts
      • (10) 20mm
    • Torpedo tubes
      • (3) 21 inch torpedo tubes
    • Antisubmarine warfare
      • (2) depth charge tracks
      • (8) single depth charge projectors
      • (1) multiple depth charge projector (Hedgehog type)
  • Machinery: General Electric geared turbines Turbo-electric propusion. 2 shafts S.H.P.: 12,000=24 knots
  • Boilers: 2 water tube. Combustion Engineering.
  • Oil fuel: 378 tons
  • Radius: 5,000 miles at 15 knots.

Summary of USS HOLT

  • Laid down by Defoe Shipbuilding, Bay City Mich. on November 28, 1943
  • Launched February 15, 1944
  • Commissioned June 9, 1944
  • Decommissioned July 2, 1946
  • Recommissioned as Republic of Korea ship Chung Nam (DE 73) and loaned to South Korea June 19, 1963
  • Stricken November 15, 1974
  • Purchased outright by South Korea on November 15, 1974
  • Stricken and broken up in 1984

USS Rudderow Destroyer Escorts

NameBuilt ByLaunchedCompleted
DE 224 RUDDEROWPhiladelphia Navy YardOctober 14, 1943May 15, 1944
DE 225 DAYPhiladelphia Navy YardOctober 14, 1943June 10, 1944
DE 230 CHAFFEECharleston Navy YardNovember 27, 1943May 9, 1944
DE 231 HODGESCharleston Navy YardDecember 9, 1943May 27, 1944
DE 579 RILEYBethlehem-HinghamDecember 29, 1943March 13, 1944
DE 580 LESLIE L.B. KNOXBethlehem-HinghamJanuary 8, 1944March 22, 1944
DE 581 MCNULTYBethlehem-HinghamJanuary 8, 1944March 31, 1944
DE 582 METIVIERBethlehem-HinghamJanuary 12, 1944April 7, 1944
DE 583 GEORGE A. JOHNSONBethlehem-HinghamJanuary 21, 1944April 15, 1944
DE 584 CHARLES J. KIMMELBethlehem-HinghamJanuary 15, 1944April 20, 1944
DE 585 DANIEL A. JOYBethlehem-HinghamJanuary 15, 1944March 28, 1944
DE 586 LOUGHBethlehem-HinghamJanuary 22, 1944May 2, 1944
DE 587 THOMAS F. NICKELBethlehem-HinghamJanuary 22, 1944June 9, 1944
DE 588 PEIFFERBethlehem-HinghamJanuary 26, 1944June 15, 1944
DE 589 TINSMANBethlehem-HinghamJanuary 22, 1944May 2, 1944
DE 684 DE LONGBethlehem, QuincyNovember 23, 1943December 31, 1943
DE 685 COATESBethlehem, QuincyDecember 9, 1943January 24, 1944
DE 686 EUGENE E. ELMOREBethlehem, QuincyDecember 23, 1943February 4, 1944
DE 706 HOLTDefoe Co., Bay CityFebruary 15, 1944June 9, 1944
DE 707 JOBBDefoe Co., Bay CityMarch 4, 1944July 4, 1944
DE 708 PARLEDefoe Co., Bay CityMarch 25, 1944July 29, 1944
DE 709 BRAYDefoe Co., Bay CityApril 15, 1944September 4, 1944